As the current government seeks to roll out a system that links salaries to employee productivity, care must be taken to ensure that targets are not used as tools to weaken morale, but rather to improve work performance.
The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Kofi Asare, has warned that examination malpractice in Ghana’s senior high schools may not simply be caused by students. He points to a deeper issue: unrealistic performance targets set for teachers and headmasters.
When performance is judged mainly by results, pressure can distort behaviour and come at a cost not just to integrity, but to human dignity.
This issue is not only in education. It is common in many workplaces today. Targets are used to guide work and measure performance. In theory, they help people know what is expected of them. But in reality, when targets are too high or poorly managed, they can create fear instead of motivation.
Targets are not the real problem. Enforcement is! This refers to how some leaders handle employees when targets are not met.
In some workplaces, employees are treated harshly when they fail to meet targets. They may be shouted at, blamed, or even embarrassed in front of others. Instead of asking, “What went wrong?” leaders ask, “Who is at fault?” In such situations, they may lose their dignity.
In Ghana, I have personally witnessed employees shouted at by supervisors, sometimes even when those employees were older or more experienced than the person reprimanding them. In such moments, dignity often becomes the first casualty of pressure.
Some organizations expect excellent results but fail to provide the necessary training, guidance, or resources. In extreme cases, when targets are missed, employees may be demoted or dismissed without anyone understanding the underlying challenges.
For instance, in 2019, workers of SGS Ghana, an organisation that deals with inspection, verification, and certification, were agitated over, among other issues, the company’s system of measuring productivity. Workers complained that the system tended to blame employees for not meeting productivity targets (GhanaWeb, 2019).
Workers are sometimes called “lazy,” “weak,” or “unprofessional.” These words can damage their confidence. Over time, even good workers begin to doubt themselves. They stop sharing ideas and may start looking for other jobs.
The pressure to hit targets may lead to wrong behaviours. Some workers use their own money to meet targets. Others may adjust records just to look successful. Years ago, a colleague was questioned for using his own money to help a client in order to meet a target.Instead of being praised, rather he was reprimanded. When organizations care more about numbers than honesty, employees are forced to make difficult choices.
Some workplaces use bonuses and commissions to motivate workers. But when targets are too difficult, these rewards become hard to achieve.
Employees often hear, “No bonus for you.” This discourages them. Some lose interest in their work, while others resign. The workplace then becomes stressful instead of supportive.
A survey by Gallup, an American multinational research agency, found that Ghanaian workers are among the top four most stressed in Sub-Saharan Africa. According to its report, 2023 Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace, this ranking reflects the fact that many Ghanaian workers experience stress daily due to demanding and often stressful work environments (GhanaWeb, 2024).
Compassionate accountability
According to Duncan D. R. (2023), Compassionate accountability doesn’t compromise values and standards to keep the peace. Neither does it compromise human dignity in the pursuit of results. By separating the person from their behavior, people can be treated with care, concern and empathy while also holding them accountable for behavior.
Over the years, i have realised that in some workplaces, the real challenge is how accountability is applied when targets are not met.
Some leaders feel proud when targets are met and frustrated when they are not. This can lead to harsh treatment of workers.
When workers miss targets, it is not always because they are lazy. They may be facing personal problems such as family issues, health challenges, or financial stress. Good leaders understand this.
Instead of blaming, effective leaders ask questions. They try to understand the problem and find solutions.
This idea is supported by Marshall Goldsmith, who introduced the concept of feedforward, which focuses on improving the future instead of blaming the past. It is also supported by Carol Dweck, who explains that people can improve through learning and effort. This is called a growth mindset.
Good leaders ask:
- Do workers have enough time?
- Do they have the right tools?
- Do they understand their tasks?
- Do they feel free to ask questions?
When these are missing, workers will struggle, no matter how hard they try.
Similarly, according to Janelle E. Wells and Doreen MacAulay, accountability is not just about checking results. It is about creating systems that help people succeed.
Stacey Barr (2023) notes that when leaders rationalize why targets are unmet, the problem may lie in the target-setting process itself. Too often, targets focus on numbers and ignore emotion.
How employees feel about a target often determines whether it leads to genuine improvement. Targets must speak to the heart as well as the head. A target framed as performance measure + value + timeframe may satisfy logic, but vivid language that connects to purpose inspires action. Consider the difference between saying “Drink eight glasses of water every day” and “Drink eight glasses of crystal-clear, refreshing water every day to feel alert and energized.” The first speaks to the head; the second to the heart. Targets connected to purpose generate curiosity, anticipation, and a sense of commitment.
Classroom lessons
In schools, students who perform poorly are sometimes insulted or discouraged. This affects their confidence and performance. However, schools that show patience and understanding often achieve better results.
Research by Debrah O. and others (2021) shows that empathy improves learning outcomes in Ghanaian senior high schools.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama once said that his best teachers helped him believe in himself, not just pass exams.(‘An open letter to America’s parents and teachers’- October 26, 2015).
The same applies to workers.
Leadership shift
Researchers partnered with IPA and Ghana’s National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) to evaluate the impact of goal-setting as a non-monetary incentive on worker performance. The study found goal-setting increased output by 16 percent, working time and hourly productivity by 8 percent, and overall productivity of workers by 13 percent.
Importantly, these improvements didn’t come at the cost of worker well-being – only 10 percent of workers said goal setting made them feel stressed(Arthur I., et al, 2025).
This shows that targets are effective but only when they are realistic and human-centered.
Organizations that treat workers with respect perform better. Workers feel valued not just for what they produce, but for who they are. This leads to better performance and long-term commitment.
Targets can measure performance, but leadership determines whether people succeed or suffer.
Ultimately, leadership determines whether targets build performance or break people.
WRITTEN BY:
Henry Atta Nyame
Institutional Assessment Practitioner
hattanyame@gmail.com
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